My new blog is open!

 http://jillresearching.blogspot.com/

Looking backwards and forwards

After 491 posts, I'm closing this blog. This was not my intention when I was unable to post from Saint Petersburg -- in fact I have the script for several posts in my notebook and folders on my desktop with photos -- plus a story about almost having my PIN number and ATM card stolen and being REALLY frightened -- but then, somehow, I was never able to bring myself to post from Gothenburg and Helsinki, or even when back in Connecticut, where I have been for almost a week. Yesterday I realized the reason. The purpose of this blog was to document and reflect on my process of becoming "re-designed". And now that has happened. I am a different person professionally than when I left Sacred Heart University. My field is "design mangagement" and my institutional base is the University of Gothenburg, I'm respected by the dean, accepted as a working member of the reserach group by my colleagues, and friends with other people in the city. I haven't abandoned my former close colleagues, but my academic orientation is different.

So there is no need for this blog; it was never intended to be just a travelogue, which is what I felt it had become.

I will start a new blog sometime in the not too distant future when I have uncovered a new reason for blogging. And I'll post a link to the new blog on this site for anyone who would like to follow me there.

Thank you for your support and comments. 'Bye!

Hop on/off Thursday

We hopped on the Big Red Bus CityTour - with good descriptions but
poor location makers - left/right or in front/behind do not seem to
exist, and we have several maps with different numbering schemes.

We hopped off at Saint Peter and Paul to identify the tomb of Peter
the Great and compare the Trubleskoy Bastion with Alctraz -- Russian
prison cells are more spacious!

Dinner was at the FishHouse www. Fish-spb.ru where the herring (with a
shot of vodka) was the best I have ever tasted!

PICTURES TO COME

A day at the Hermitage

PICTURE TO COME

Today was an experience that exceeded all expectations. Between the
grandeur of the palace rooms and the extensive art collection, with
not one but roomfuls of the masters, it was a day spend in another
world. When I say that my favorite part was the inflame parquet
floors, I hope I am conveying that every detail was magnificent.

And we saw Matisse's Dancers.

Walkabout on Tuesday afternoon.

PICTURE OF CANAL TO COME

Peter the Great laid out his city to resemble Amsterdam, so we decided
to experience the similarities. Using the DK guide, we joined a
walking tour mid way. What a disappointment! The canal was littered
with floating rubbish, the houses were dilapidated with peeling paint,
andq cars were parked haphazardly alll over the place.

But after crossing a main street onto a different canal, our opinions
changed. The houses were more graceful, though in no way as elegant as
Amsterdam, and we were able to walk along the bank of the canal
unimpeded by cars. There were many tour boats - like both Amsterdam
and Moscow - and the whole scene was reminiscent of Amsterdam. We
ended where we should have begun, at the Church of Spilled Blood. It's
impossible to describe the overwhelming sensation of glitter and
religious decoration of the interior. I'll add a photo once I ama back
on my computer to at least give followers a glimpse.

Onwards to Saint Petersburg

PICTURE OF COUNTRYSIDE TO COME

We boarded the 7am train at the Lenongrad station in Moscow. Leaving
the city we saw block after block of high-rise apartment buildings,
then fir and birch forests, punctuated by villages with simple wooden
houses, or stucco houses with corrugated iron roofs. Industrial areas
were run-down and rusty, all signs of a poor country.

Travelling first class on the fast train had its perks: an attendant
who spoke English, breakfast served to us, wifi and a service that
organized a taxi to meet us on arrival. Speed varied between 188 and
248 km/hr. There were two stops: one of two minutes, and the other of
one minute. We pulled into the Moscow station in Saint Petersburg at
11 am. A repres ntative of the taxi service met us on the platform.

First impressions of Saint Petersburg. More "European". The buildings
are still substantial, but less oppressive. they have a simpler
architecture and the stucco is painted in pastel colours. But after
Mosocw's power-washing and regilding in preparation for May 9, the
city had a dingy feel. We arrived at our hotel - American - to be
greeted with glasses of champagne!

Victory Day

May 9 is a day of celebration of the signing of the surrender document by the Germans that ended WWII for Russia, and a day of remebering and learning for Russian children. Veterans walk around Victory Park wearing their old uniforms and medals, and children give them flowers and say thank you. It was a beautiful morning (we did not watch the parade in Red Square.). In the afternoon we went on a river boat ride, followed by a farewell dinner at a Georgian restaurant. We were sad to leave - we'd had a very full and exciting five days in Moscow.

In the office

Of Peter the Great. Here's where he worked to connect Russia to the wider world.

Moscow Circus

tSupreme artistry and flawless technique.

Out and About

Tami took us to her favorite places close to home: the Novodevichy Convent, which was beautiful, peaceful, Baroque architecture. Then I hopped on Natalia's scooter to go round the lake and on to Tolestoy's home, a wooden structure with a large garden. The writer's simple life was at odds with expectations of the reception rooms of a novelist od international reputation.

Kremlin

In the Armory we saw room after room of gold and silver eccelestical artifacts and state gifts from the 12th to 20th centuries, and In the many cathedrals and chapels, decorations and icons from floor to ceiling. Dazzling! It was not what I had expected to find in the Kremlin, then Tami told be that "Kremlin" just means "the wall around the city".

Moscow Impressions

Massive, and often magnificent, are words that come to mind -- huge institutional apartment buildings in beige-yellow brick, Stalinesque gothic skyscrapers, the elegant Gum, and the scale of Red Square. In contrast, the several onion-domed chapels that surround St Basil's Cathedral are surprisingly intimate. Then, before we could see any more, the police appeared with bull-horns and cleared the square. Soldiers matched in for a rehearsal for Monday's Victory Day parade.

In Amsterdam

Enjoying the best of Amsterdam - beer, food, canals, homes (Anne Frank & Rembrandt today), museums (still have to visit the Bag and Purse Museum) - and of course bicycle-dodging!

Walpurgis night

The eve of May Day is a special time in Gothenburg when the town celebrates Walpurgis Night. This afternoon I went to an outdoor concert at the Garden Association when various university music groups performed and this evening we go to a

colleaguue's apartment to watch the parade from her balcony. It is bound to be nosiy! I won't be able to add a photo because I am losing my internet connection in a short while - I hope to be able to post while I am in Amsterdam and Russia over the next couple of weeks, but I can't promise photos.

Royal Wedding Day in Gothenburg

Ulla had an early meeting, so I stayed at the apartment to negotiate with the electricians who came to deal with the air conditioning(!) Then off to lunch with the other Visiting Professors and their sponors. By now I was late for a seminar at the Institute for Entrepreneurshp and Innovation so I hitched a ride with the campus mailman. Browine points forattending the seminar - the Vice Dean who hired me was there. Afterwards a leisurely walk along Vasagatan back to the apartment. Evening activities were dinner outside at an Asian restaurant followed by a performance of Cirkor, the Swedish contemporary circus. Different.

And no, I did not join a thrd of the planet watching THE wedding!

But I did watch THE video!

Business & Design Lab activity

We were up early to catch the 8AM train to Stockholm; three hours of civilized travel in a first class seat with breakfast and wifi provided. A short walk brought us to the Swedish Industrial Design offices (my first on-ground, or more correctly, on-the sixth-floor, visit to SVID) for a meeting between graduating students in the master’s program in business and design and senior managers of design consultancies in Stockholm. It was for informational purposes and networking rather than as a recruiting event. The presentations were in Swedish, but of course everyone there could speak English so I was able to meet some of the CEOs and students (No photos of the event)

Mid-afternoon, with duty behind us, we walked through the city to the Modern Museum.

Saw some modern sculpture (?) and a Karl Schwitters painting that took me back to my drawing class.

Then the journey in reverse, arriving back in the flat in Gothenburg just before 10 PM – just as the light was finally leaving the sky. I’d better head to bed because it will be getting light again around 4 AM.

The Opponant

...is tired tonight. Jetlag has caught up with me. I had a full day at the office

and at the seminar at HDK ("hor-di-co")

about 20 people were there (here are the tutors and candidate).

Katarina (the candidate) and I (one of two opponants) were both happy when it was over.

Getting back in the habit

Of the daily (most days) blog. I'll pick up from yesterday -- and arriving on the island of Ockero for a family lunch in the garden,

followed by a walk to the nearby "touchpoints", talking all the way.

At sunset Ulla and I returned to her flat in Gothenburg (via foot, bus, ferry, bus and taxi, together with my luggage for six weeks in Europe).

Today I organized my stuff so I can work in the apartment, and made a quick visit to my university office to pick up snail-mail and connect to the University network.

Later Vicktor (see posts from last May and Spetember - he's now a student at Halmsted U) came and put up bookshelves,

while Ulla supervised and prepared dinner.

Tonight, but not yet tonight on us/"tummy time", I am tired. Tomorrow is a work day when I "oppose" the Licenciate thesis (half-way to a PhD dissertation) of one of the Business & Design Lab students. I have no idea what I am really supposed to do, so it should be an interesting experience. I promise to tell you about it.

And now on the island of Ockero, near Gothenburg, Sweden

Heading northeast tomorrow

To Burlington, Logan, London. Landvetter, Ockero. Posts once I am there. (see picture on Facebook)

Gone!

Someone picked the flowers! There is no one living the the house where the bulbs had been planted so some passerby decided to enjoy them elsewhere.

And more today ...

Just too busy

dealing with "stuff" to reflect and blog. Hopefully tomorrow. In the meantime, signs of spring progress (check photo of same flowers in previous post made last Thursday)

Thursday - (Re)Findng the touchpoints

I ws very glad not to get into the car today! Instead I had a quiet day dealing with administrivia and working at not panicing at all I should do in the coming week.

I was pleased to see that Open Way beach has not changed in my

absence and there are clear signs that spring is on its way.

Tomorrow I will resume routines of the Connecticut office!

Highlights

Saturday, April 9: Left Siesta Key 0930 AM heading north.

GPS estimated direct route of 1355 miles for 19:59 hours of driving.

Sunday: Detour to visit a former Sacred Heart University colleague, now living in Ashville, NC.Drove 100 miles of the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Monday: Detour to visit Thomas Jefferson at his home in Charlottesville, SC.

Tuesday: Detour for Jack to relive ordinance training, followed by overnight with his friend of 57 years (and his wife).

Wednesday, April 13: Arrived at Lord's Point 1340.

Actual driving distance 1723 miles in 31:26 hours.

and so to the end

of our time in Florida. Last night was my last drawing class (there's one more for everyone else) and time to review "focus on ..." and "next, think of ..." with the instructor. The in-class exercise was wicked complex -- two dancing skeletons amid a mass of bottles and glasses. (we studenst lamented that the bottles were empty.) I had to resort to just tackling parts of the composition of and making my drawing very small. But that was a breakthrough of sorts -- a composition isn't necessarily the whole scene.

Now my sketch-book/journal is up-to-date; I'm taking a few tools north with me, and the rest are packed away.

I've completed my other academic work according to plan, the "New Perspectives in Design Management" book is published (finally), I've started my proceedings editing task for EAM-I, and I have an interesting summer conference schedule ahead.

Already I've forgotten the angst of the kitcehn remodel - probably because everything is functioning perfectly. Even the chili apron is at home in its new spot.

Judging from all the comments I've received on my "blues" Facebook posting, most readers know I am mostly packed. Now to return the internet box and head north first thing tomorrow mornng ... looking forward to seeing friends along the way and back in Connecticut.

Not sure when I will next post.